The Right Reasons
by Cpt.Fox
Summary: Fox kidnaps Krystal from StarWolf after realizing kicking her off the team was a terrible idea. Simple right? Nothing could possibly go wrong...at all.
1. Prologue

I plan on reuploading this story on this profile, as to have all my works on one, rather than separate accounts. A chapter a week until they're all here, then deleting the other story. Who knows, maybe I'll wanna continue this.

**Chapter 1: Prologue**

Everyone had left him. His friends, his team, even his damn robot. They'd finally given up on the vulpine ever returning to his old self and left, leaving him alone on Great Fox. It was in bad shape, but so was he. They were both falling apart due to a lack of maintenance and care and it was as if no one wanted to be around either of them in this state.

It wasn't like that for the first month. They'd felt sorry for him and understood why he was constantly depressed and sulking, not wanting to get out of bed or look for missions to pay off their debts and buy food and supplies. But apparently they'd expected him to get over it before long, and that was where they'd been wrong. Slippy, Falco, Katt, even Rob, all of them had finally had enough waiting.

So they'd left.

The worst part about all of _that _had been when Falco stopped just outside the hangar, turning towards the brokenhearted vulpine who'd been quietly following behind, before issuing one final comment to him.

_"I'm your friend Fox, I have been for a long-ass time. I've always been there for you just like you have me. But it's been three months. She's been gone three months! You've got to get over it. Just because she's not with us anymore, that doesn't mean your life is over. So you need to stop acting like it."_

Afterward he'd turned back ahead, only taking one step before catching himself and saying one last thing._ "We're not leaving because we don't care about you. We're leaving because I've got to take care of Katt and Slippy, and I can't do that here. Not anymore."_

That had happened three weeks ago and since then not much had changed. His daily routine was still the same. Wake up around noon, lay in bed and stare at the ceiling for an hour or so, finally drag himself to his feet. Skip the shower, forget about changing clothes or brushing his teeth. Who cared? No one was there to see him. He had no one to impress or act decent around.

He'd still vaguely check on the ship's computer and controls, which were stable but in a pitiful shape. He'd been aimlessly floating around Corneria for the last month, figuring that if he died maybe someone would be able to discover Lylat's greatest hero's body before it was _completely _decayed. Not that he cared.

That's what his whole life was right now. Him not caring.

Had he'd known it was going to hurt this bad after losing Krystal he would have never forced her to leave. He would have thrown caution into the wind and told her how much he loved her, choosing to keep her on the team to protect her rather than making her leave for the same reason. She was with Star Wolf now. She was with Panther.

Because she loved Panther.

And because she hated the vulpine.

It had gotten to the point now that he didn't eat, and only managed to sleep when his body couldn't take the exhaustion and fatigue any longer. Of course when he slept all he dreamed of was the vixen. Having her again. Seeing her smile and smelling her scent every time she walked by, just like it used to be. Back when his life was still livable.

All he thought of was her. Constantly.

But the worst part of it all, the part that he'd have to accept no matter if he conscious or sleeping, was that he'd never have her again. The last time he'd saw her she'd made that clear. He didn't think she liked being with Star Wolf, but maybe she did. Regardless, her pride kept her there with such an intensity that one would think she was obsessed with Panther Caroso. But he knew the real reason. The truth was that she just hated Fox for ruining her life. For crushing her heart and throwing her out of the only place she had left that she could call home.

So she'd made sure the first, and last, time they'd been able to hear each others voices, that he knew how much she hated him.

That was what had caused him to get like this.

Now he was ready to just give up. He wanted to end it all and finally escape the pain that he felt because he didn't have her. For three months he'd endured it and during that time she had been with Panther and Star Wolf, living a new life of happiness without him.

_This isn't how it's supposed to be._

He was ready to do it. Just kill himself and fall asleep forever. At least then he could spend eternity with the vixen in his dreams. He could hold her in his arms and kiss her, never having to let go of the blue fox that he loved with everything he had. It seemed like the perfect answer to his prayers, and he knew exactly where to put the blaster to do it in one shot. Just one little squeeze of the trigger and he'd be better. No more pain. No more tears. No more not having Krystal in his life.

But right now, as he looked down at the blaster in his hands and admired it's silver gleam, he found himself hesitating. He was scared of killing himself even though death was now what he longed for. He'd failed at everything else in his life lately and now it seemed he couldn't even pull the trigger on himself. But why? What was holding him back?

_She'll never love me again. What do I have to live for?_

_**You don't know that. She might just be mad at you.**_

_She's with Panther now, I'm nothing to her._

_**You're like this because you made her leave for her protection.**_

_I did it because I wanted her to be safe._

_**How is she any safer with Star Wolf? You could protect her ten times as good as them!**_

_I didn't think she'd go there though_

_**Where else then? Cerinia is destroyed and Sauria is uninhabitable, and to live on Corneria she'd need credits. Face it, you didn't think it through! She went to Star Wolf because she had to! Not because she wanted to. That's why she hates you.**_

_I didn't know_

_**If you really loved her you'd get her back! That's the only way to make sure she's safe!**_

_She'll never come back_

_**Then make her! You hurt her once to protect her, who says you can't do it again!? It's all about keeping her safe isn't it?**_

_Yes but-_

_**Is she safe where she's at now? **__**Is she safe with Panther?**_

After that thought registered in his mind the vulpine rose to his feet, a bristling sense of anger and love gnawing at his entire body. He'd never thought of it that way. He'd always assumed she'd went to Star Wolf because she'd wanted to, not because she had to. But now it made sense. Now he understood why she was with Panther.

She didn't have anywhere else to go.

He knew she still hated him but he ignored that, choosing instead to focus entirely on this new feeling inside of him. For the first time in months he felt something within him other than sadness and heartache. It was a desire and determination to get her back, regardless of what she thought of it.

She was going to hate him whether it was on Great Fox or on Great Wolf, and if that was the case then he'd make sure it was the first one. At least here he could protect her.

She wouldn't come with him even if her life depended on it, and once she was here he knew she'd waste no time in trying to escape. That or kill him. It tore at his heart that she hated him so much, and he knew he deserved it. But he also knew that he was willing to endure it for a little while longer because now he had a reason to. Nothing would have changed other than how she felt about him. He'd still be taking care of her and she'd still be with him on the ship, just like it used to be. He could live with her treating him like shit, or at least he'd try to, if it meant she was safe.

_What am I supposed to do? Kidnap her?_

_**Why not? You love her don't you? She'll be safer with you here than she'll ever be with Panther.**  
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_But she hates me.__  
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_**That doesn't matter. Not anymore.**  
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He wasn't entirely sure if he was thinking sane or if he was perhaps a little obsessed with the vixen, but it didn't matter. All he was confident about was that he still loved her, and that he'd hurt her bad. Going on that, because of everything that had changed between them, he knew there was only one way he could still show her he loved her.

He'd get her back.

Whether she liked it, that was a different story.

000


	2. Stealing Her Away

**000**

A warm Saurian breeze ran across the vulpine's face, bringing with it memories of his past adventures here. He looked out across the valley before him, remembering the sharpclaw warriors he'd fought, all he'd done to help Tricky protect his clan, collecting the Krazoa spirits, and finally saving Krystal. It all seemed so long ago. The Aparoid invasion had come and gone since then yet it was as if this was nothing but a happy memory. Happy because she'd still been with him then. She'd fought by his side and been there for him when he needed her.

He hadn't told her he loved her then, but he should have. Oh, how he should have. Then none of this would have happened. His team wouldn't have left him, his ship wouldn't be on the brink of falling apart, and his life wouldn't be reduced to a mere depressing blur of tears and heartache, all because of her. The objective had been to keep her safe, that was all. But now he realized how stupid a reason that had been.

_Look at me now._

The deep scent of dirt and forestry was swept up from the small canyon below him and he took a sharp inhale, desperate to calm the nervous feeling building up within his stomach. Part of him still couldn't believe what he was going to do. To actually kidnap Krystal, to somehow steal her back to Great Fox and keep her there with him until something happened between them, it seemed impossible. It was such a stupid, last minute plan on his part. Nothing like what the old Fox McCloud would have thought up.

But that vulpine was long gone now, and this newer, more desperate one was in control now and he wanted only one thing.

"Krystal."

He spoke her name softly as four ships went soaring overhead, too far away to notice the vulpine standing along the valley, or his Arwing hidden about a mile or so back behind an array of trees. He knew which one was hers. He could tell by the way she slightly tilted her wings as she circled around and kept in formation with the rest of Star Wolf as they prepared to land. She'd flown the same way with his team.

Letting out a shaky sigh of anxiousness he stepped back into the treeline before kneeling down and looking out ahead, watching as the Wolfens drew closer to the vulpine. For the next second or so he felt the pit in his stomach grow, fearing they'd continue in his direction and eventually see him. But Peppy's intelligence had been spot on and, just as he'd told the vulpine earlier in his message, the four fighters came to a slow drift before setting down in the valley.

He still didn't know how he'd managed to get it out of the old hare. It might have been pity, or maybe he'd just given the vulpine what he'd wanted so he didn't have to put up with him any longer than he had to. But either way he'd gotten the information he'd needed. Star Wolf was scheduled for a reconnaissance mission on Sauria that day, nothing too important really, just mere house cleaning for the military. It was a job, he realized, that probably would have been given to his _own _team had he been on top of things.

Regardless, he'd thrown on his flight attire, checked the ship's controls, fueled up his Arwing what little he could, and taken off immediately. Yes it seemed abrupt, but he ignored that. Thinking about it too much would be a bad thing. He just needed to do what his heart was screaming at him to do and that was get her back. Get Krystal back.

No matter what.

They were a few hundred yards out but he could easily hear voices echoing off the canyons walls, their tones blurry and undecipherable, but numerous. He stood and stretched his legs, doing his best to ignore the feeling of nausea in his stomach that made him want to puke. He'd never felt so nervous about anything in his life! Missions that involved infiltrating heavily armed bases and space stations, fighting evil overlords and monsters, none of that had been half this bad! He'd fought death countless times without batting an eye or thinking twice!

So why was this so much worse?

_**You've got to get her back this time.**_

_I-I just can't believe I'm doing this. I mean, what's going to happen if it works? What will I do-_

_**Don't worry about that now! Just focus on getting her back to the ship!**_

He clenched his fists and shook his head, struggling to ignore those thoughts as he took off in a jog towards the far left side of the canyon. Right now he didn't need to worry about anything but the task at hand, no matter how stupid or crazy it seemed. He still wasn't sure if he was thinking sanely or was just obsessed with the vixen, but either way he couldn't stop now. He refused to. This was his last chance. If he failed this time, if he didn't get one more chance to fix things with her, then wouldn't be able to go on.

As he reached the edge of the clearing he couldn't help but inhale in surprise before stopping in his tracks and doing an about face, immediately ducking behind the nearest tree. He'd been so caught up in his thoughts he hadn't been paying attention to what was ahead, therefore not hearing the sound of footsteps as they walked up the side of the sloped valley.

_That was way too close! Pay attention damnit! What are you going to do if someone sees you?_

Timidly he poked his head around the trunk of the tree, narrowing his gaze against the bright sunlight and watching as two forms came into view. The first caused his body to tense up in anger as Panther Caroso's sleek, smug form came into view. But no sooner had that feeling arrived was it replaced with one of immediate heartache and longing, and even more jealousy, as Krystal's beautiful body stepped up as well, her paw intertwined with the cat's

The vulpine's hand found it's way to his side, slipping inside his coat pocket and closing around the metal tubes he'd brought along with him. He could do it now. Just slide the safety off, push the timer, count to three, then throw it. Within seconds the gas would take effect and knock them both out cold and Krystal would be his for the taking, easy as that. But he had to wait a little longer. They were too close to Wolf and Leon right now and if he tried something, if either of them noticed him, they'd retaliate, mercilessly.

But at the same time he couldn't let Panther or Krystal head in the direction of his Arwing. That was the key to this whole operation. Even if he _did _manage to steal the vixen away from them, it wouldn't matter if they knew where she was being taken. So if any of them were able to make out his Arwing as he escaped, he knew he'd have to expect one hell of a fight if he planned to keep her.

_It's like I'm the bad guy here._

_**No. You're protecting her remember? This is to keep her safe.**_

_Then why does it feel so wrong?_

He continued to hold his breath as he watched the couple make their way across the clearing, neither of them bothering to pay much attention to their surroundings, not that he was surprised. Sauria was under control now, he'd made sure of that. This little endeavor was just a time killer to get a few credits thrown their way, nothing else. Apparently the only _real _purpose this was serving, at least from the looks of it, was giving Panther another golden opportunity to spend quality time with the vixen.

He narrowed his gaze as they kept walking along the side of the valley, his sight locking onto the vixen's face and admiring the beauty of the sight. She looked uninterested in whatever it was Panther was saying, her expression reflecting only faint care for his words as she continued on by his side, causing the vulpine to smile. No matter what happened between them now, then, or in the future, she was still the most beautiful thing he'd ever had the pleasure of seeing.

_All the more reason to get her back._

Once they were just about out of view he rose to a crouch and started following them, keeping a great distance just in case the wind shifted or something else gave away his position. This went on for a good five minutes and towards the end of that time he couldn't help but realize how out of shape he'd gotten over the course of the past few months. His stamina wasn't anywhere near as great as it had once been, most likely due to the lack of exercising and working out since she'd left, and he found himself panting for breath as they finally came to a stop at the edge of a river.

_I know Wolf and Leon went the other way, that's common sense. So should I do it now?_

He looked on as Panther led her over to the water's edge, still holding her paw in his own as he sat down and pulled her with him. The vixen complied, though whether it was without struggle he wasn't sure. Either way, seconds later the black cat had propped himself up on his left arm, while wrapping the other around Krystal's waist, pulling her close and staring ahead into the water. At first the sight made him want to lash out at the feline, just so he could tear him apart for touching her like that. But that anger was soon replaced with sickness as he saw the vixen's head slowly fall over onto his shoulder, the cat soon doing the same.

_Enough! This is the best chance you're going to have so do it!_

He reached into his pocked and pulled out the silver tube, it's size almost matching the length and width of his forefinger, but weighing a surprising amount more. It was then though that he realized he was still too far away to make an accurate toss, and he couldn't rely on luck to pull him through on this one. No, this time there was no room for mistakes. He _had _to be perfect.

Waiting a few seconds more he finally felt the wind shift, blowing from the direction of Panther and Krystal and bringing with it their scents, while erasing his own. Immediately he took off, still crouching but running from tree to tree, not taking hardly any time to check and see if they'd noticed him before moving on. Soon it was forty feet, then thirty, and finally twenty, putting him behind the last available tree and easily within throwing distance.

He reached into his pocket once more and pulled out one of the tubes, admiring it's cold, steel touch and looking over the green liquid that was sloshing around within in. It was beyond him concerning how it worked. All he knew was that Peppy had issued the team a few of them for their last mission and that they worked flawlessly. He placed his thumb on the red safety switch, firmly pressing it up until it clicked out of place, issuing a 'beep' in response. Afterward he bit his lip in fear, quickly poking his head out around the tree and checking to see if either Panther or Krystal had heard it.

Fortunately nothing had changed concerning the couple other than the position of Panther's arm which now rested even further down the vixen's backside. The vulpine couldn't help but sneer at the sight before looking back down at the vial in his hand, his thumb now resting over the black switch that, when pressed, allowed the chemicals inside to mix together and form their aphrodisiac.

_**What are you waiting for? Do it!**_

He took a deep breath and pressed the switch, silently counting out the seconds in his head as he readied to put his crazy plan into action. Upon murmuring 'three' he stepped out around the trunk of the tree and tossed the metal tube the short distance across the clearing, instantly jumping back behind the tree and watching as it made it's journey. At first he feared he hadn't thrown it hard enough, which was actually true, but those fears were almost immediately dashed and he felt his heart skip a beat in relief as he watched the vial hit the ground on it's tip, forcing it to bounce forward another few feet before landing behind the couple.

Then, almost as if it were in slow motion, he watched the tube slowly roll onward. Three feet, two feet, one foot, until it finally rolled up against Krystal's paw. He watched as the vixen's head turned back towards him, glancing at the ground and looking over the cylindrical item for the few seconds it allowed her before the chemical reaction finally went off.

There was a very brief exclamation from her, but it was soon replaced with coughing as the white gas cloud filled the air around them. He clenched the sides of the tree as he watched the two of them break apart, each coughing in surprise as they tried to escape the expanding cloud, all the while still coughing out and then inhaling more of the fumes. From between them he could see that the vial had stopped emitting it's numbing gases only a few seconds later, having done it's job extraordinarily. Much like on Venom the gas set in almost immediately, and was more than effective. On each side of the small tube now lay two motionless bodies, both of which easily knocked out for the next few hours.

Still though, he waited, watching for a few seconds longer and allowing the remaining traces of the gas to float away before finally stepping around the tree and jogging over to the pair. He approached Krystal first, kneeling down beside the vixen and looking her over, even now admiring her delicate and beautiful form for all it was worth.

_Why did I make her leave? What was I thinking?_

He shook his head and looked to his left over at Panther, sneering at the cat who, even now, looked smug and satisfied. He rose from his crouch and made his way over to the feline, reaching down and grabbing his arm before dragging him back towards the clearing. Just keeping him somewhat hidden from Leon and Wolf would buy him an excessive amount of time, and he'd need every second he could get now. The gas was supposed to keep them knocked out for five hours, but neither Panther nor Krystal were the average target, so he gave himself three at the most.

_Great Fox is two hours away. I couldn't risk flying it to Sauria and having Wolf notice it. Which means I've got to get Krystal back home in that time._

He didn't want to imagine what it would be like if the vixen were to wake up on the flight back, especially in such a confined space. She'd probably kill him out of anger, not just for kidnapping her, but simply for hurting her as much as he had over the past few months. And he'd deserve it. But if he could manage to get back to Great Fox first, and make the changes he needed to make, then he might have a chance.

A chance to fix things.

After dragging Panther a few feet past the tree he'd been hiding behind the vulpine noticed a large hedge resting between two large oaks. Figuring that to be as good a place as any he went that way, allowing a smirk to come over him as he drew closer and noticed the large thorns and nettles that were growing within the bush.

"Yeah," he muttered, putting forth all the strength he could muster as he lifted the cat up and tossed him into the overgrowth, "that's perfect for you."

Taking a second to rearrange the feline's legs so they didn't stick out too badly he was finally content with his hiding place. Once again he grinned in satisfaction at the act, grateful that he was able to find _something _to smile about for once. Not wanting to waste much time though he turned back towards the clearing, his gaze resting on the blue lump of fur on the ground that represented the vixen he was doing all of this for.

He reached her side once again and, after looking her over and allowing the love and heartache to fill his insides, reached beneath her and lifted her up. He wasn't sure if it was the size difference, or just because of who it was, but either way he had no trouble carrying her in his arms, as opposed to Panther. With her it was like holding a flower, a beautiful, timid, flower that he had to treasure and take care of no matter what.

He stood up and looked around, perking his ears back in the direction they'd came from and searching for any voices, only to hear none. Only Sauria itself was audible at this point, it's trees blowing in the wind and the river by his side gurgling happily as it ran down stream. Once he was out of sight there would be absolutely no sign of anything going down here, at least, there wouldn't be if he picked up the vial that had triggered it all.

But at this point, with the vixen in his arms and time being of the essence, he didn't think about that. Instead he turned back towards the forest behind him, taking off in a jog with an unconscious Krystal in his arms as he made his way back to his Arwing, never once thinking about the one little piece of evidence he'd left behind. All that mattered to him now was getting her back home where she belonged. Back on Great Fox with him, like it was supposed to be.

How she'd react to it all, he didn't know. It would be bad at first, but he expected that. He was willing to fight through the words and anger that she would bring forth once she realized what he had done.

The real question was, would any of this make a difference?

000


End file.
